New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-29
OFFICIAL CORRUPTION IN BROOKLYN
4wo STRONG rnEsExrMENrs MADE BY THE aHNAD

.,ro erooxc pprsEyrMENTs MADE by THE QRNAD
JuKY-THR LEGISLATURE CALLED ON.
rb. K,pps County Grand Jury for January, which mas
been at work the first Monday IN the month Oh AL
Investigation Of the electric lighting companies o, "oo
Ivn and the appropriations OF money by the Aldermen
20, ,ghng the streets with electricity. aud also or the
ro,otons OF the New-York and New-Jerscy Telephone
and the city In the joint use OF poles completed
a. worry Yesterday and handed two presentments 10
Judge Moore in the Court OF Sessions They were
thanked for their abors and discharged The present
ments are signed by H. Egleston. OF Flatbush, fore
man OF the Jury In regard To electric lighting the pre-
sentiment said that all the reports OF offences
against the laws by Brooklyn officials had been
investigated without fear favor or prejudice some OF
the urors believed evidence was sufficient to warrant
the finding of indictments while the rest insisted that the
,s did moi ustify going so far But the jury salts
fled that abuses exist In tho administrator OF puono
affairs which II not speedily checked VIII result oSss
ronsy for The city Inc raR and in Viola
ton OF law; yet the Grand Jury could do nothing Inc
presentment further said
private using Their Official n ann pG
tons to s sn9 VI. cannot do more Su tho
Council O the city granting o har'fG To- eoarnpon
he Shtins limits 10 such extent to exhaust the fund
set for ss wSt SnF
meet the Ana sgan we Se as come:
b before &c r ~: ''' ''"' -
rho presentment referred to the fact that Chief
En- anetr Neyns of the Fire Department Is director III
the electric light company, and by his inahpuiaohs Ins
wires ara p,t up everywhere. witnesses desired conn
not be called because they were beyond the Jursdcuo
M the court not tho Attorney ana much
avoidance xpected he secured could not he obtained
Tn tho second presenteni the telephone conpays re-
latjOns 10 the city set FORTH showing that cry ue
partment gave privileges to private corpolauon 70
enable IL to evade the law In regard TO undcrgrounu
wires The result OF the nvestigauoh anu W., ,ha
ing OF ofcias from tho Mayor down Is such that the
Grand Jury says:
That state Of things in the municipality Of Brook
vn which should receive attention AZ the hahs Oh the
new General Of the and OF the Legislature we
ment have tolerated irregularities III thor Dusne,
methods with the York and Jersey Telephone COM
many which IL they amount 10 conspiracy 10 dsrhuu
The city treasury enable the Newfork ana NewJer%y
Telenhone COMPANY circumveDt the Jaw W hn
That Mayor whitney has unwittngy In his message shlee
representing that the cWlo.k ai
Telephone Company was paying INC CITY ,or o
OF the poles. W Canno. ~
system whereby private indiyiuals or computations are
aowed 10 hold Valuable privileges subject To tho caprice m
any department While lno lnI, "a ,inn
TO that money or other
no he.n pad the Department they deem that the
Nv The telephone company 10 mucn
greater than that received by the city.
The Electric subway Commission also cen sired Tor
not yng plans promptly for putting all wires under
rronnd In conclusion the Grand Jury says;
We are sat SIZED ngioing OF the parties mp
en- ed hui IL under the Interpretation OF ho
Given q, adviser That We have the r1gnt 70
diet hut we make resentment a. warning 10 ~
ers and Legislature VI tho state may DC lusnou "
taking action Ia the matter